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PROJECT
Intensive care
By Tristan Wiggill
The private Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital in
Dobsonville, Soweto, is being primed for occupation.
Once completed, it will include a state-of-the-art,
275-bed hospital with seven new operating theatres,
a 20-bed ICU facility, a 14-bed neonatal ICU, seven-
bed paediatric ICU, and 11-bed maternity ward. There have been a few delays, which Buirski says
stemmed from technical difficulties relating to
revamping an existing hospital with very little info about
the existing services.
It will also benefit from a new radiology department; a
new casualty ward; a pharmacy; a pathology laboratory;
new renal facilities; a nuclear medicine department; new
doctors’ rooms; an updated administration area; and
fresh kitchen and reception areas. And then there is a
rather slick hot water plumbing system as well. “A large scope of work has been additional and
unforeseen. We are slightly behind the programme, but
this is due to the extensive alterations and re-routing of
existing services, as well as the additions made to the
original scope of work. At first, we only had two theatres
to do, but we now will be handing over five theatres in the
first phase,” he says.
Plumbing Africa met with GDM Plumbing and Projects’
contract director, Gareth Buirski, to find out how the
three-phased project is coming along.
His company, in partnership with Sebenza Sanitary
Engineers — forming the GDM–Sebenza JV — was
appointed and established on site in October 2015 to
complete the three phases. The first phase is due to be
finished in November this year, while phases two and
three are planned for completion by July 2018.
1
1. Some of the hot water
storage tanks.
2. The domestic pump DB
board and control panel.
October 2017 Volume 23 I Number 8
The main scope of work was for the water and sewer
fit-out of new, three-storey wards, which were all to
be equipped with on-suite bathrooms to the hospital’s
specifications. “They are three-bed wards, which we
have completed. We have been tasked with the addition
of kitchens and ablutions, which has added a large
volume of work onto our team.” GDM–Sebenza JV also
completed the brand new ICU ward, Neonatal ICU ward,
and ICU reception area, as well as the casualty and
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